Advertising display structures

ABSTRACT

A display structure is made up of a multiplicity of modules in the form of rigid plastic foam frames which are grooved and slotted to receive one or more interchangeable display panels so that the frames of the module are reusable with different panels.

O United States Patent 1 1 3,659,365 Eaton 1451 May 2, 1972 [54] ADVERTISING DISPLAY STRUCTURES 2,490,638 12/1949 Kubec ..40/1s4 2,984,922 5/196! Ladenburger ....40/l6 [72] Inventor. Robert A. Eaton, l-Imgham, Mass. 3,174,629 3/1965 Gelberg et 81"" 40/125 Rx [73] Assignee: Norman-Buifett Display Industries, Inc., 3,186,118 6/1965 Smith 1 1 --4 154 Boston, Mass, i mmm40/i25 H 1 3,546,802 12 1970 P e t ..40 I54 RX 22 Filed: July 15, 1970 l r S N 5, 05 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [2]] App] 0 5 0 Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras AttorneyRowland V. Patrick [52] US. Cl. ..40/l6 51] 1111.01. ..c0913/1s 5 ABSTRACT 4, [58] held of Search 40/125 R 125 H 152 5 A d1splay structure 15 made up of a mult1pl1c1ty of modules 1n I the form of rigid plastic foam frames which are grooved and slotted to receive one or more interchangeable display panels [56] References Cited so that the frames of the module are reusable with different UNlTED STATES PATENTS 7 p 785,534 3/1905 Anderson ..40/l54 1 Claim, 6Drawing Figures PATENTEMY 2:912 3,659,365

. SHEET 101- 2 1 ADVERTISING DISPLAY STRUCTURES This invention relates to advertising display structures and more particularly to a basic rigid frame or module adapted to replaceably receive flat panels and to be readily assembled with identical modules to form booth partitions or backgrounds, usually of the impermanent type such as are used at trade shows.

Displays for trade shows have tended to become more and more elaborate and correspondingly expensive. The modular construction herein described has all the advantages of simplicity while providing versatility such that displays may be assembled in a variety of arrays and disassembled and the frames may be used over and over again. Additionally, the flat panels are replaceable so that quick changes can be made.

Modules of the invention are basically formed of a unitary hollow middle frame made of rigid plastic foam material which has been injection molded in one piece and is lightweight yet is extremely rugged. It is faced on each side with facing members also injection molded each in one piece and so contoured as to form, when placed on each side of the middle frame, the slots and grooves for reception of the aforesaid flat panels.

Modules of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration on a reduced scale of three modules connected in horizontal array with the inserted panels in one module being shown broken away to reveal the slot construction of the frame and further showing one module, in which the panels are in the act of being inserted, before the top panel is assembled with the middle panel of the underlying horizontal display.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the pins used in forming a vertical assembly of modules;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a wicket pin which is used in holding adjacent frames in horizontal juxtaposition.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detailed enlarged view of portions of the three frame members forming the module before being assembled together; and

FIG. 6 is a view of the parts shown in FIG. 5 after they are brought into assembled relation to each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, each individual module is a hollow frame 12 having slots 14 and 16 in its top wall and grooves 18 and 20 on the inside surfaces of the other three walls for sliding reception of panels 30, 32 as indicated.

The top and bottom of each frame has holes 40 for reception of pinseither straight pins 42 for vertical assembly or U- shaped pins 50 for connecting horizontally abutting frames.

As shown in FIG. 4, the middle frame 60 is grooved at 61 and 62 from both its edges to save weight and the facing frames 63 and 64 have grooved beads 70 which cover the grooves 61 and 62 in the middle frame member 60 except on the top side where the frames have no beads in order to provide the slots 14 and 16.

While the three members may be held together by any method, it has been found convenient to use keys which are wedged into pre-molded or cut slots 84 in the grooves.

Near the corners the beads 70 include bosses 82, to prevent loss of strength, for the pin holes 40.

If the U-shaped pins 50 are used in the bottom layer of modules, in order to give steady support, pins like 42 as shown in FIG. 2 but cut off so that they do not include the portion 45 of FIG. 2 can be inserted in the bottom holes of the frame as indicated by the reference 44 in FIG. 1.

Each of the facing frames 63 and 64 and the middle frame 60 is injection molded and constituted of structural foam such as is described in the publication Plastics Design and Processing (Sept, 1968) e.g., high impact styrene foam.

While one assembly of the modules is illustrated in FIG. 1, it should be understood that all sorts of assemblies either straight-line or angular and in solid array or omitting an upper level module here and there or one or more of its panels can be visualized as being within the scope of the invention.

What IS claimed is:

1. A rigid display panel frame comprising a one-piece hollow molded middle frame of rigid plastic foam,

unitary one-piece molded face frames of rigid plastic foam, one on each side of said middle frame held against said middle frame,

said middle frame being thicker than said face frames,

both of said face frames having beads along three sides thereof abutting the edges of said middle frame to form internal grooves extending around three sides of said composite frame, said face frames being unbeaded along the fourth side to form slots aligned with said grooves through which display panels may be inserted and held in said composite frame. 

1. A rigid display panel frame comprising a one-piece hollow molded middle frame of rigid plastic foam, unitary one-piece molded face frames of rigid plastic foam, one on each side of said middle frame held against said middle frame, said middle frame being thicker than said face frames, both of said face frames having beads along three sides thereof abutting the edges of said middle frame to form internal grooves extending around three sides of said composite frame, said face frames being unbeaded along the fourth side to form slots aligned with said grooves through which display panels may be inserted and held in said composite frame. 